Released at the Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME), the new research shows that Australia’s service culture and high quality conference facilities are ranked very highly among the hosts and organisers of international association events.

It also found that Australia’s leadership across a range of industry sectors leads to events that are regarded as among the world’s best for professional networking and business development.

The research was undertaken by customer research agency TNS on behalf of Tourism Australia and Australia’s leading convention bureaux and centres, commissioned as part of the Australia Associations Project (AP) to guide future marketing and communications activities to attract more international events and more international delegates to Australia.

AP Project Manager Julie Sheather said “Australia’s expertise in areas such as agribusiness/aquaculture, education and training, ICT and clean energy is already helping to attract significant events here.”

A key focus of the AP during 2011 is building on and harnessing this expertise to support associations staging major events, Sheather said.